(SAPS), Head of Training, Divisional Commissioner Gary Kruser, Pretoria
10 November 2006
An urgent appeal is made to the public to donate dogs to the South African
Police Service so as to increase the working dog capacity of the SAPS. Such is
the need to increase the working dog capacity of the South African Police
Service that a special campaign was launched at an Open Day for Dog Training
presented today at the SAPS Training Institution Roodeplaat. The public is
encouraged to donate dogs for general policing activities including special
events such as the General Elections in 2009 and Soccer World Cup to be hosted
in 2010.
Police dogs are used to provide both proactive and reactive services in the
South African Police Service. They are deployed for narcotics, explosives,
protected species detection, tracking, fire investigation, patrol, and search
and rescue operations. It was today revealed that the South African Police
Service adopted a new approach in collaboration with the Non-Governmental
Organisations (NGOs) and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(SPCA) that introduces a whole new system regarding dogs that are found not to
be suitable for training.
According to this approach such dogs which did not meet the required
training standards will be donated to the SPCA, who will deal with them
according to their policies and legislation. This arrangement will rule out the
possibility that dogs will end up in undesirable circumstances, as was the case
when the dogs were auctioned at public auctions.
A call centre was established and is geared and ready to take calls from
potential donors. Members of the public can call the following number from
08h00 in the morning until 15h00: 012 808 8644 to obtain more information as
how to go about donating a dog or dogs to join the SAPS family in the fight
against crime.
The SAPS is currently using the following dogs: Border collies, German
Shepherd, Belgium Shepherd, Boxers, Doberman, Labrador, Cocker Spaniels,
Bloodhound and Rottweiler. The age of dogs accepted must be between the age of
nine (9) months and three (3) years.
The extent of generosity on the side of the public will to a large extent
determine the success of this campaign. The desired outcome is a better
equipped SA Police Service to ensure the safety and security, in this instance
with the aid of our four-legged friends, of all communities. It must be borne
in mind that man's best friend is a reliable and essential crime combating
assistance.
Enquiries:
Captain Francois Bekker
Tel: (012) 393 5523
Cell: 082 3338146
E-mail: mediarelations@saps.org.za
Issued by: South African Police Service
10 November 2006
